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Roger Sterling
Roger Sterling Jr. worked for Sterling Cooper advertising agency.Smoke Gets in Your Eyes His father was one of the founders of Sterling Cooper in 1923. History Roger's past has been pieced together through his many recollections during the show. As the son of Sterling Cooper co-founder Roger Sterling Sr., Roger grew up in wealth. Always nautically minded, he claims to have sailed a tramp steamer to Hilton Head as a young man, though it was later revealed to have been a yacht. As he often mentions, Sterling is a World War II Naval veteran. Prior to his deployment to the South Pacific, he was in an intense relationship with Anabelle Mathis, heiress to the Caldecott Farms dog food company. She ended their affair shortly before he was to ship out, leaving Roger devastated. In "Red in the Face", Roger's war recollections suggest he was the skipper of a ship running fuel between islands. Later in Season Four, however, he begins to tell Joan a stroy about being onboard a destroyer. For his time in the service, Roger was given a medal, and has since harbored a hatred for the Japanese. Following the war, Roger bean to work at his father's company, where he took dislike to fellow veteran Freddy Rumsen, believing him to have been a "coward" in the Signal Corp. The animosity disappeared when Roger learned Rumsen was only put there after having killed a number of Germans in combat. While still young, he engaged in a number of dalliances. Ida Blankenship the "Queen of Perversion of the highest order", was one of Roger's many conquests.The Suitcase Sterling Cooper Roger enters Heller's, a specialty shop dealing in fur coats to buy Joan a fur coat. Working there is Don Draper. Roger comments on an advertisement, Don noting that it is one of his own. Roger hands Don a card, with Don noting that Roger works for an advertising firm. When Roger opens the box up for Joan in a hotel room, he notices that Don has included a portfolio, noting that Don was "out of line" for including it. A few days later Don runs into Roger in the lobby of Sterling Cooper, and tried to explain it away as coincidence. He asks Roger if he saw his work, Roger telling him that it was thrown away with the box. Don offers Roger a drink, and though it is 10am, Roger accepts. Over drinks, Don tries to sell Roger on the idea of hiring him. A few days later, Roger sees Don in the lobby again, waiting for the elevator. Roger is beside himself, angry that Don could not take a hint that he was not interested. Don stops Roger, noting that Roger had hired him the prior day, while they board the elevator, Don smiles while Roger appears confused about his lapse in memory. On the Friday before Labor Day weekend in 1960, Sterling Cooper loses the Dr. Scholl's account. Roger attempts to cheer Don up by arranging for a pair of twins to spend the night with them. This results in Roger having a heart attack. The following October, Roger returns to the office, but has a second heart attack during a meeting with the head of Lucky Strike. As a result, Don is offered a partnership in Sterling Cooper. Waldorf Stories A New Company When rumors of the purchase of parent company of Sterling Cooper reach Don Draper, he pushes the Burt Cooper and Roger Sterling, the original senior partners, to attempt a purchase of the company. After presenting an offer, they realize it's a lost cause, until they hit upon an idea. Pryce, the representative from PPL with authority over everyone at Sterling Cooper, agrees to fire the senior partners, thereby severing their contracts (including the no-compete clauses in their contracts). They secretly round up a list of clients loyal to them and steal important documentation that will smooth the transition. And they secretly select the first employees with Pete Campbell, Peggy Olson, Joan Holloway, and Harry Crane as the first employees.Shut the Door. Have a Seat One Year Later Blaming the Japanese for the deaths of his friends during World War II, Roger stated that he did not want their business when they got word that Honda was looking for a new advertising agency. When SCDP proceed, Pete planned a meeting for Roger to attend at the same time that the Japanese were in the office so that he would have no knowledge of their actions. In the middle of the meeting with the Honda executives, Roger burst into the office and started a rant, stating that they "don't want any of your Jap crap." After he left the room, the other members of SCDP apologize for Roger's rude behavior, and soon realize that their chances have likely been blown when Honda does not send them a gift in the following days. After blowing the initial meeting with the Japanese for business with Honda, Pete claimed that Roger was sabotaging the meeting because SCDP became "less dependent on Lucky Strike and therefore less dependent on you." Roger rushed Pete, but Don stepped in between the two men. After Pete left the room, Don said that Pete was right about this characterization. Roger and Don planned on seeing the Ali vs. Liston fight on May 25, though he was not happy about having to go with the AA members, Freddy Rumsen and the client from Ponds. Don eventually canceled his plans to see the fight, much to Roger's dismay. While Joan's husband was at basic training, Roger took Joan out for dinner. While commenting on the condition of the neighborhood they were walking through, they were both robbed at gunpoint. Roger acted quickly, lowering his head and handing all their possessions over to the robber. After the robber ran off, the two caught their breath and in a moment of passion, they began to kiss.The Beautiful Girls Roger and Lee had dinner at a restaurant. When Lee requested to pay for the meal, Roger sensed a problem. Lee apologized, telling Roger "It's over," that Lucky Strike was pulling out from SCDP. He stated that the board had wanted to consolidate to one firm, BBDO. Roger, visibly shocked, told him that it was not the way that family treated each other and pointed out all the times he had to lie to cover for Lee. Roger then haggled to get 30 days to try and convince Lucky Strike to change their minds. Roger then handed Lee's money back to him and paid for dinner himself. Later that night he was on the phone with old contacts, trying to track down new work for the firm.Hands and Knees Ken happened to run into an account executive from BBDO, who slipped the news. This started a chain of events that eventually culminated with a meeting of the partners currently in the city, blindsiding him with the unfortunate news. Roger was then forced to make a call to Lee, which he faked. Instead of talking to him directly, he simply repeats his side of the conversation from the dinner he had with Lee. Roger promises to fly down and meet with Lee in person. The following day he calls Joan and admits that he did not actually go out of the city, and that he was just a few miles away. Joan was understandably upset, and did not want to meet him. She later promised to meet with him, but when they met she would not act on his impulses, telling him that she was "not a solution to your problems. I'm another problem." They hugged and he then left. He mentions that the last time they were intimate was the night they got mugged. He is told by Cooper that he failed because he never took himself seriously, and neither did Lee.Chinese Wall Roger and the rest of the partners were frustrated with Don's full page ad of "Why I'm Quitting Tobacco." Roger thought of it as a good way to go down in flames. Bert mentioned the hypocrisy of including Don's name and not the rest of the partners. Don declared that he was able to get a good night sleep, to which Bert declared he was resigning from the agency.Blowing Smoke Notes Sterling is a World War II Naval veteran--a detail that becomes particularly relevent in Season 4's The Chrysanthemum and the Sword when Japanese company, Honda, approaches Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce for a potential client relationship. Gallery Add to the Roger Sterling Photo Gallery! References Category:Sterling Cooper Category:Male Category:Characters Category:Sterling Cooper Employee Category:Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Category:Main Character